It is known to provide the player with the opportunity of selecting the range of combinations of symbol positions, or ‘pay lines’, to be used for win determination, an appropriate multiple of a basic stake value being required for multiple paylines.
It is also known to provide the player with the opportunity of multiplying the basic stake value so that any win attained is correspondingly multiplied. By way of example, with a basic stake value of say 5 cents and 20 paylines, the player may have the opportunity of wagering 5×20×5c=$5 to apply a 5 times multiple of the basic stake to all 20 symbol combinations.
It is also known to, provide special bonus symbols whereby on attaining a predetermined such symbol, or combination of such symbols, at a predetermined display position or positions, the player has the opportunity of transferring to a bonus feature which can result in a bonus award. Thus, for example, play may transfer to a separate mechanical bonus reel which rotates and comes to rest, or a wheel around which a pointer spins and then comes to rest, to indicate a selected bonus value printed on or alongside the reel or wheel.
With this arrangement, in the case where the player has the opportunity of multiplying the basic stake value with the aim of attaining correspondingly multiplied award values there is the problem that any multiplication applied to the bonus values would result in bonus values which are different from those printed on or alongside the bonus reel or wheel. On the other hand, if a selected multiplication of the basic stake value is not applied to bonus values this reduces the benefit to the player of the bonus in a stake-multiplied game, or at least may make it difficult for the player to compute the benefit of accepting a bonus play where this is offered as an alternative to other options.
Accordingly, the player may be confused as to the exact numerical benefits of increasing stake value and this can reduce entertainment value and act as a disincentive to such increases.